Questions for Mr Seán Gallagher, Presidential Candidate

Dav

Hello again everyone,

We've been able to line up our time tables and now have an afternoon of Mr Seán Gallagher's time for an interview on the 11th (updated from the original date of the 10th).

So I'd invite you all to post your questions for Mr Gallagher and I'll do my best to make sure we get them all asked and answered on the day.

1) Does Mr Gallagher feel Sen. David Norris did the right thing when stepping down, or as the publicly favoured (prior to the revelations) candidate, should he have kept the race alive and let people give their verdict on polling day?

2) Mr Gallagher has been perceived in the media as little more than a "celebrity candidate". How will Mr Gallagher go about changing peoples perceptions about him from a "celebrity candidate" to a "real challenger"

3) Because the role of president is largely ceremonial, what can Mr. Gallagher bring to the role? Will his focus be on using his business acumen to get companies to move to Ireland?

4) Mr. Gallagher has close ties to Fianna Fail (being a former member of the Fianna Fail executive). Why did he not ask the party to support his presidential bid, instead, focusing on independents and Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members? And could he explain what his "semi-detached" relationship with the party is?

Dirk Gently

Will you condemn the FF party for it's destruction of the economy and put day light between you and your links to that failed organisation?

Do you feel the wage package on offer to the president is excessive for what is just a symbolic role with no practical policy creating options within the role. Basically it's a lot of money for someone who is just a figure head. What are your thoughts.

You're looking for people to invest their vote in you. What is your business plan, can you justify tax payers investing their votes and their tax euros in your wages, new house in the park and your staff. Please give practical examples of value for money. will we get a return on our investment, at the moment I'm out tbh.

If you pull out of the race will you support my dog for the presidency. He just requires 2 bowls of dog food a day, no other wages or perks, thus saving the state some money. His link is in my sig.

MadsL

Q. David Norris pulled out of the campaign because of his past associations; You have previous associations with Senior FF figures and their largely unexplained and unpunished outcomes of the tribunals, will you now withdraw from the presidential race?

No? Well for that reason...I'm out.

Tigger

Can you not see how redicilious it is that you are running for president.

WesternNight

Given that you seem to have attracted quite a bit of negative reaction to your decision to run, do you feel pressure to try to 'win over' the Irish people? If so, what do you plan to do to try to achieve this?

theboybrown

As a businessman and entrepreneur you are a doer and a man who has obviously been able to make things happen. Are you blind to the immobile nature of the presidency? It is a limited role with exagerated importance. will you not be really really bored?

Dirk Gently

theboybrown wrote: »

As a businessman and entrepreneur you are a doer and a man who has obviously been able to make things happen. Are you blind to the immobile nature of the presidency?

Maybe as a businessman and entrepreneur he realises the best way to secure income over the next 7 years in this country is in a job with a constitutional guarantee not to cut his wages. smart move tbh.

raymon

What can you tell people who feel that you were less than honest in declaring your recent involvement in FF election campaigns. Surely honesty is a major factor.

Why were you so badly prepared for the shocking Tubridy and Pat Kenny interviews. A shabby performance doesn't make you look presidential

Were you joking about making the Aras into a tacky tourist attraction and coffee shop with you dragon buddy

Dav

Update on this: The interview's been moved to Thursday due to a change in Seán's diary.

WesternNight

Dav wrote: »

Update on this: The interview's been moved to Thursday due to a change in Seán's diary.

Would I be right in saying that that's a good thing for you? Gives you more time to come up with questions.. (can't imagine many of the ones asked here would be genuinely usable!)

raymon

WesternNight wrote: »

Would I be right in saying that that's a good thing for you? Gives you more time to come up with questions.. (can't imagine many of the ones asked here would be genuinely usable!)

Look like valid questions to me.

edanto

Let's start with an easy one.

As President, you would have a certain amount of freedom to redefine the role based on what you percieve as the most important things that the president should be doing. Give some examples of the kinds of initiatives that you have in mind, and how you would manage and fund them.

Clearly, this is a role with strong diplomatic competencies required.

Sean, can you tell us about a time when you were involved in a situation with potentially serious international diplomatic implications, and what you did in that situation to improve it? What was your role in that situation?

A key responsibilty for the president is to review legislation, consult with the Council of State if necessary, and potentially send the legislation for judicial review. With your experience of politics and legislation, can you give some examples of the type of legislation that you would refer to Council of State?

Do you believe that Bertie Ahern had a bank account at the time when he is widely believed not to have had any? What do you think of him as a person, and as a leader? Is he the kind of leader that you would copy, or is he the kind of person that repulses you?

Seloth

How do you plan on using the role for Ireland internationally if you do win?

How do you feel on the Thursday election date and how it affects thousands across the country?

Dav

OK, nonsense posts insulting the man have been removed and simply won't be asked. After 2 previously excellent threads with questions for candidates, I'm disappointed that they've cropped up here, lets hope that's an end to that.

uimhirahaon

Sean, do you really think you have a chance in this election or are you cynically using the exposure as a springboard to a future (Fianna Fáil) political career.

The IRgAy

Dav wrote: »

OK, nonsense posts insulting the man have been removed and simply won't be asked. After 2 previously excellent threads with questions for candidates, I'm disappointed that they've cropped up here, lets hope that's an end to that.

I see, so only soft questions are allowed then. :rolleyes:

Let me rephrase my intial question:

Mr Gallagher,

What have you done outside of the business world to make you a credible candidate?

WesternNight

The IRgAy wrote: »

I see, so only soft questions are allowed then. :rolleyes:

Genuine questions, not 'soft' ones. No point in asking ones that are only insults dressed up as rhetorical questions, because they'll yield no useful information.

Dav

I've just finished the interview with Mr Gallagher and am working on getting it cleaned up for upload etc. Thanks everyone for your questions, I'll be back either later today or tomorrow with the link to the video.

Sully

Would be better if he did an on thread q and a session tbh.

bleg

Would you have run for president if you hadn't been on Dragon's Den?

What's your personal financial situation like? Are you in it for the perks, mercs and salary for the next 7 years?

edanto

Sully wrote: »

Would be better if he did an on thread q and a session tbh.

Too right. Seanie ain't no Stephen Donnelly though!

Looking forward to seeing the video Dav. When do ya reckon it'll be ready?

Dav

I'm afraid I won't have the video uploaded today, it'll be tomorrow. Very sorry for the delay folks, I'm just ran off my feet all day.

BenMicheal

Dav wrote: »

Hello again everyone,

We've been able to line up our time tables and now have an afternoon of Mr Seán Gallagher's time for an interview on the 11th (updated from the original date of the 10th).

So I'd invite you all to post your questions for Mr Gallagher and I'll do my best to make sure we get them all asked and answered on the day.

why have you totally disasosiated yourself from the FF party, a party you canvassed for in the GE?

Dav

Video has been finally uploaded and processed by YouTube. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ui4Cj8JI

Thanks very much everyone for their questions.

raymon

Dav wrote: »

Video has been finally uploaded and processed by YouTube. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ui4Cj8JI

Thanks very much everyone for their questions.

Thanks Dav for conducting the interview and posting the vid.

Another poor performance from Sean

It just reaffirms my view that Sean Gallagher is not the man for the job .

( BTW were my questions deemed to be too harsh for him , so didn't get asked? )

gimme5minutes

I think Sean is alright and has been getting some slightly harsh treatment, but I suppose that is par for the course when you throw you hat in the ring for the presidential election. He was the only decent and likeable one among those other twats on dragons dean. But the problem I have is the FF connection. Anyone who has had anything to do with FF or supported them over the last 10 years should not be let anywhere near a position of power. Its no good just dropping support for FF now that they have come undone, that just makes someone look oportunistic.

LordSutch

Sean, are you related to Harry Hill?

Fouloleron

Hey Sean,

Do you think its wise to lie on national Tv?

Molloys Clondalkin

Sean you say in that interview you were unemployed 3 times but on the frontline debate you said you were unemployed twice.
Is it just boards your making stories up for or is the whole country expected to swallow your tales.

ultain

Sean....how does it feel not to have been voted the next president of Ireland? :):)

brimal

Some really mature posts here..

jimmycrackcorm

ultain wrote: »

Sean....how does it feel not to have been voted the next president of Ireland? :):)

I'd imagine it feels great having defeated McGuinness by 2.5 time the number of votes even after that little no-warning frontline bomb.

jimmycrackcorm

Fouloleron wrote: »

Hey Sean,

Do you think its wise to lie on national Tv?

Wasn't his problem that he admitted everything on tv?
Marty still isn't in the IRA since 1974.
Norris has hidden donated his letters for 30 years archiving.